Thursday, June 30, 2011

A Change In Perspective (And Time Zones)

I just got back yesterday from a trip to Ireland. My head is still spinning from the jet lag, so if this post doesn't make sense forgive me. It was 60 degrees and raining the whole time... and TOTALLY awesome. The countryside was amazing, the food was fabulous. But what has stayed with me most is the day trip we took to Belfast. Did you know there is a twenty foot high wall that cuts right through the city? It divides the Protestants from the Catholics and it closes every night at 7 pm. Everything in the city is divided-- they go to separate schools, live in separate neighborhoods, and even take different transportation (years ago the Protestant side-- Belfast is still under English rule which supports the Protestants-- made a law that Catholics could no longer ride on public transportation. The Catholic community came together and bought a bunch of black taxi cabs so they could still get around.) They don't even agree about their nationality-- Protestants say they're English, Catholics say they're Irish. To the Catholics, the English are suppressors (in the 80's they had internment camps where prisoners could be held without cause and without a trial for up to 2 years and 4 months). To the Protestants, the Catholics are the terrorists (IRA).
I knew a little (very little honestly) about the violence in Ireland, but until I saw what was there I just didn't understand. It's amazing what a little change in perspective can do.

1 comment:

I grew up in England and never understood the Northern Ireland situation until I moved to Texas and met an Irish Catholic here (she was from Northern Ireland). It gave me a different perspective. Sometimes we need to meet on neutral ground to listen.Ann

About Me

I'm a wife, a mom, and a writer-- usually in that order, but sometimes I get my rolls confused.

I've been a lover of good writing and literature since I was a child. I have a BA from BYU in (of course) English Literature, and though I don't read it exclusively, I tend to find myself hovering around the Fantasy sections of the book store.

I've always loved writing, but I never thought I'd write fiction (if I had, I definitely would've taken more creative writing classes in college *sigh*). But two and a half years ago I was up at a cabin for a family reunion, driving through the pine trees and the rolling hills, when the thought came to me, "this would be a great setting for a story." My mind took off from there and hasn't slowed down since.

So now here I am, hearing voices in my head, waking up in the middle of the night with a great plot twist, and forcing my children to ask me questions three or four times because my mind is off wondering through enchanted forests and magical kingdoms.

My Book Reviews

I'm a writer, not a professional reviewer. But people who know about my love for books often ask for suggestions, so I thought I'd start posting some reviews on my blog.

However, I will usually post only about books that I like, and what I like about them.